Interview by Theodora Bergner, FE23

An interview with the strong opinionated, self-employed, psychologist and ex-archdeacon Michael, in which he talks openly about faith, religion and life. I think we had an interesting conversation about important subjects and matters that often aren’t talked about today. A quite different person with different opinions from Swedish society today.  

Theodora: How did religion affect your childhood?

Michael: Not at all really. My mother was raised in Northern Sweden and went to Sunday school but she was never herself a practicing believer. It was during tough times of my life that I alway felt drawn to the church –– at that time the Church of Sweden. I started spending time with my neighbor who lived just next door. We played music together, and he started talking to me about life and faith. I looked up to him, and he taught me about Christianity. I started going along with him to church and it was probably there my journey began.

Theodora: When did you officially become a Christian?

Michael: Well technically I have been a Christian since I was baptized in 1973, you are then re-born in Christ’s body. But to be a true Christian you also have to start practicing Christianity. We say that you can be a private believer but not a private Christian. You have to start going to church. And so I did, when I was sixteen years old I officially became a practicing Christian when I started going to the church of Sofia at Södermalm.

Theodora: Which church do you belong to and why? 

Michael: Even though my journey began in the Church of Sweden I now belong to the Orthodox Church. You see in the year 1054 the church split into two parts, the East and the West. That is to say the orthodox church remained what it had been, and the Roman Catholic Church was formed. They established new rules that benefited them, but weren’t a part of Christianity’s original belief. So the Orthodox Church turned its back on the Catholics. They think the Catholics are schismatic: they are partly right but have some vital details wrong. An Orthodox person can therefore take communion in the Roman Catholic Church even though they prefer not to, but a Catholic is not allowed to take communion in the Orthodox Church. The Church of Sweden is not even schismatic but heretical, that means complete inaccuracy in the way one practices the Christian faith. We are absolutely not allowed to take a so-called communion from a so-called priest in the church of Sweden. You mock the true sacrament by letting someone who is not worthy, and unable, administer it to you.

Theodora: Why do you belong to Christianity and not any other religion? 

Michael:  Jesus Christ said that he is the way, the truth and life and I believe in those words. There is no other way to God, the other paths are false and can quite literally lead you to Hell, or at least not to salvation. A wise priest once told me that Christianity differs from all other religions in that Christianity is not a religion but a path. What did he mean by that then? Well a bit provocatively, that priest also said that God became man so that man can become God. There is thus a path for us to divine realization. As we perceive it, no other religion has that. It makes Christianity unique and it is of course a very sympathetic thought that no matter how much of a scumbag you are, there is someone who has already paid the price for your stupidity. And who will sit by our side when we are brought before the court.

Theodora: That’s really interesting, can you give an example of how other religions differ from Christianity?

Michael: Islam for an example was founded in the 7th Century, and in my opinion as a reaction against Christianity. In many aspects Islam is very similar to Christianity, we have some of the same traditions that come from the Christian monk life. Islam is very much a plagiarized form of Christianity but they believe that there were greater prophets then Jesus, like Mohammed. When that happens, quite similar but still incorrect, it is as I said the formation of a reaction against Christianity. We don’t need to mention any names, but we know who it is that reacts most strongly against Christianity, and it is he who rules this world.

Theodora: Is your faith strong?

Michael: Leif GW Persson said that if he has the option of choosing to believe or not to believe, he would choose to believe because faith is a very beautiful thing. For me it has never been a question of choosing whether I believe or not, but a question of how I relate to it. I can’t choose to believe, it is just something I do whether I want to or not. So from that aspect I would say that I am a strong believer. Since we live in Sweden, a secularized and de-Christianized country I would say that I am perceived as a strong believer as well. However compared to my orthodox sisters and brothers in the Middle East and East Central Europe I would probably be perceived as a slacker, who is not well disciplined enough with daily prayers and sacraments. 

Theodora: What is it like to be a believer in modern times?

Michael: It’s tough, for me it’s probably not as tough as for many others as I’m a confident and self-determined person. I have fairly good self esteem and I can stand on my own two feet. But more sensitive and cautious people can easily be mocked into thinking that they are less-intelligent because of their beliefs. I think especially young people have a difficult time with it, they often try to deny or keep it as a secret in order not to get ridiculed. But it’s difficult, we live in a very atheistic and liberalized society. Man has made himself god, we must have absolute and immediate satisfaction. Any sort of gratitude towards a higher power is gone and it makes people feel very lost and lonely. Which is something we can see very clear signs of today.

Theodora: What do you think about atheists?

Michael: I usually say that I am happy to talk about faith, teaching and life with any person. No matter what their spiritual, philosophical or religious beliefs are. However I have no great interest in discussing existential questions with an atheist. The difference between a religious person and an atheist is that we say we believe, but they say that they know. An absolute certainty that there can be no such thing as a higher power or god. It’s like comparing apples and pears. An atheist once told me that I am only a Christian because I’m afraid of dying. But I said to him it is you who are afraid and are taking the easy way out. You can act like a piece of shit and then not have to worry about the consequences of it all when you die. They think everything just ceases to exist. However I have actually noticed that atheists often actually are agnostics when you scratch the surface a bit. An agnostic, unlike an atheist, says that God might exist. They don’t exclude it but they also don’t confirm it. And if that’s the belief I think there can be an interesting conversation. 

Theodora: What is your thought on death?

Michael: The dawn of life. “When once in the dawn of life I reach the golden gate and then receive Jesus’ great love and for me it stands open”, is the psalm they sing at the pearly gates. This life is a schooling, and when we die we graduate into real life. We just have to try to study as hard as we can until our graduation. For the day will come when we stand in front of the court being evaluated. I try not to live life as if my hair was on fire, only seeking pleasure, drinking the most expensive wines, owning the most and having as much sex as possible. A Christian perspective is believing that life is not a chase but a journey, having the perspective of eternity.